Outbreak Of Meningococcal Meningitis Research Articles

CONTROL OF MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION IN THE AFRICAN MENINGITIS BELT BY SELECTIVE VACCINATION

During an outbreak of group-A meningococcal meningitis, information was collected on the distribution of cases of this infection in an area in northern Nigeria. More than 1 case was recorded in all but 3 of 23 affected villages. Members of 9 villages, with a population of about 10 000, in which there had been 2 cases of meningococcal disease were vaccinated with 50 μg of group-A and group-C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. There were subsequently 10 cases of meningococcal disease in these villages but only 2 of these patients had been vaccinated. In contrast there were 38 cases of meningococcal disease in 7 control villages with a similar population. Until we have more information on the duration of immunity after meningococcal vaccination, selective vaccination may be a more cost-effective means of controlling meningococcal disease in the African meningitis belt than routine mass immunisation.

Meningococcal meningitis in Royal Air Force recruits

In a small outbreak of meningococcal meningitis amongst Royal Air Force recruits there were four cases over a 6-week period. Limited sulphonamide chemoprophylaxis was ineffective. This incident was characterized by low carriage and acquisition rates of the epidemic strain, a group B serotype 2 meningococcus. These features were accompanied by high carrier and acquisition rates of other meningococci, notably of group W135, which may have protected these recruits against more widespread infection with the epidemic strain.